the next generation
by wolfgirlalways
Summary: Jordan Morgan gets a surprise visit from Cassi Reid but everything is not quite what it seems. i know the title sucks but it was the only thing i could some up with. the story is pretty good though
1. Chapter 1

Alex walked into the bright afternoon glare and shielded her eyes. Sitting across from the BAU on a park bench was a young lady. She sat next to a single duffle bag, her eyes watching them as they exited. Alex knew this face some how, it was hauntingly familiar though she couldn't quite place it. She turned to ask Morgan if he knew her. He was staring at the young lady with a smile.

Alex wondered if they were together. The young lady sitting on the bench was actually kinda pretty. She had long wavy brown hair and warm brown eyes that were lit up in a smile. She was wearing clothes that looked as if she had traveled in them. Her pants were slightly worn at the knees. She wore a semi transparent sweater over a black silk tank top.

"hey. Alex meet Cassi Reid. Cassi this is Alex Porter."

"nice to meet you." Alex said sticking her hand out. Cassi shook it and turned her attention to Morgan.

"What are you doing here? Alone?" Morgan the cop interrogated.

"I came for a visit." Cassi said looking around the building.

"do your parents know you're here?"

"sortta."

"Cassi…"

"I left them a note. They are at a conference. Listen I need a place to stay. It's only for a few days. Please?"

"how about we go to dinner and talk."

"all right." before Alex had time to blink she was on his arm and leading him away. She turned back and smiled. "bye Alex it was a pleasure." they disappeared into the busy afternoon crowds. She realized where her face looked so familiar from. She was Dr. Reid's daughter. She had seen Reid talk many times at seminars.

"now Cassi. Tell me what's up." Morgan ordered.

"What makes you think something is up?" her smile was a touch to innocent.

"your father would never in a million years allow this."

"well they are at a conference and I got bored.

Under Morgan's glare she wilted. Tears popped into her eyes. Her bottom lip trembled.

"mom and dad are traveling to a seminar and my boyfriend broke up with me. I didn't want to be alone."

Her plan worked perfectly. With her tears she managed to evade his questions. He moved to her side and hugged her tight.

"it's alright. You can stay till your parents get here."

"thanks. It means a lot to me." she fell silent and he allowed her quiet. She was silent the whole way back to his apartment.

As he drove she thought about her plans. She was so clueless. She thought of her parents and the tears leaked again. When Morgan saw them fall he reached over and squeezed her hands tightly before moving them back to the wheel. The thought of using Morgan made the tears fall faster.

He gave her the bed but she declined and took the couch saying he had to work the next morning and all she had to do was mooch.

When he left the next morning she was still fast asleep. She woke up a little later and took a hot shower. When she was done she threw her dirty clothes in the laundry got dressed in a clean pair of pants and a green tank top. She left her sweater off this time and took the spare key from its hiding space. Slipping it into her pocket she wondered away wondering where her first stop should be. Wondering where the best place to start her search would be.


	2. Chapter 2

Morgan walked into a vastly different apartment than the one he had left. The place was straightened up and the sounds of the washing machine drifted in from the laundry room. The whole place smelled like heaven. He found Cassi perched on a stool from his island while stirring something absently and reading a thick book. She smiled up at him.

"how does some good home cooked dinner sound?"

"well going off the fact that I was there when you learned to cook with mud and rocks I am a little dubious." he smiled and dodged her good natured thwack.

"I am not the little girl you grew up with anymore." she smiled.

"no your not." he looked her up and down with his best older brother intimidation. "but your not grown up yet."

"seventeen in a couple weeks." she protested. "By the way I called my dad today. Expect a call this evening." Morgan groaned. Then dipped a finger in the pot.

He yelped when she hit him with the wooden spoon. "make yourself useful and fetch me some plates." she ordered. He obeyed and the sat to eat.

"so what was his name."

"John." she answered after a moment. "He was the first boy I ever liked."

"I'm sorry."

"it's fine. I knew it was going to happen but.. You know…"

He let it drop and took another bite of the surprisingly good food. While he wasn't looking she had turned into a fairly good cook. He watched TV while she read on the couch for a bit. He looked her over. He expected a girl who had just been through a break up to look a little less… bored… happy… worried… a little more emotional. He watched her from the corner of his eyes. Every once in a while her eyes would drift and look around fixating on something then rapidly moving around. Like she was working on something. After a while she dug through her dufflebag until she found a notebook and pen. She wrote the rest of the evening. He looked over to see her messy cramped writing taking up every spot on the page. With lines and pictures connecting them all. Like a puzzle.

"you like to draw?" he asked.

"ya." she flipped back a couple pages and showed him a sketch of her parents hand in hand walking down a path in the park. He as surprised with how good she actually was. As she flipped back he saw a glimpse a turned head and dark glasses. He wondered if it was her boyfriend.

He made her take the bed that night and when he left he peeked in the cracked open door. She was sitting up in the bed hugging her knees to her chest. The blanket was pooled around her legs in a rumpled heap. She stared out to the night darkened street. He quietly slipped away thoughtfully walked to work.

When he returned the apartment was dark. A note was stuck to the fridge.

_Gone out. Be back soon. I'll eat while I'm out._

He made sandwiches and went to sleep. He woke up slightly when she slipped back in. she was awake and cooking when he woke up to leave. She smiled as she handed him a plate of pancakes.

"Good morning."

"morning. Why are you awake?"

"I'm meeting a friend for the day. Ill be back late. Don't wait up." she sat down and dug into her own plate.

"what are you up to?"

"well. One of my friends lives in the city I just needed some girl time." he let it slide and wondered how to bring up her real reason for visiting.

He thought about all day at work. Yet another paperwork day. They were between cases and there was a lot to catch up on. He checked the clock for the millionth time and sighed. Picking up the phone he checked around for the number.

"hello." the older male voice picked up.

"hi. Dr. Reid?"

"yes."

"it's Jordan Morgan. Your daughter showed up in the city yesterday."

"ya I got a call saying she was staying with you. I tried to call last night but the phone was busy. Did she give you a reason."

"boys." Morgan answered glad something she had told him had been truthful. At least she had checked up with him.

"oh." something in his voice seemed off.

"what's got you thinking."

Reid's laugh flowed through the phone.

"to many years as a profiler. I just remembered I hate talking to a profiler as well."

Morgan grinned. "I know the feeling. Everything I say around the office gets analyzed."

"what's got you suspicious?"

"being an over eager profiler. I can't even get a visit from an old friend."

"tell me if you get any solid suspicions, will you?"

"sure Dr Reid I'll talk to you later."

"Bye."

"Dr Reid?" his boss asked leaning against his desk. "the Dr Reid?"

"ya his daughter is staying over at my house." his bosses eyebrows raised.

"not like that. She is like a sister. She just didn't want to be alone."

"ok if you say so. Anyway. The team is meeting for a briefing in five."

"alright I'll be there."

On the way to the plane he called his house phone.

"um hey. It feels odd talking to my own voice mail. I'm going out of town on a case for a while. Not sure when we'll get back. there is some food money tucked under everything in my sock drawer if you need anything. I guess be safe and you have the key so I'll see you in a few days." he hung up and shoved his phone into his case.

"house guests?" Scott asked as he caught up.

"just one." he replied."is this one hot." Morgan shook his head. "she is like a sister and way underage."

"Damn." Scott said while Morgan sighed.

"something not right?""it might just be my but something about her story just doesn't sit right." he grinned. "I'm a top class profiler what can I say?"

"indeed. Anyway have you got a chance to read over the new case?" their conversation drifted away into the new case.

Morgan called every night and sometimes got her and sometimes got the machine. He wasn't sure what was worse. Talking to her and knowing something was up with her vague answers or not knowing she was safe.

After a week the case was finally closed and Morgan was on his way home. She was in the apartment when he returned, sitting in his bed her notebook open again. His laptop lay shut a little ways away and his cordless was next to her. He was worried as he took in her appearance. She barely visible dark circles under her eyes as if she hadn't been sleeping well. She barely glanced up as he walked in.

"hi." she said. He noticed her eyes didn't move but stared blankly at the notebook in front of her. He saw some pages taped in, like someone had sent her notes she had deemed important enough to keep. He asked for his computer. She handed it to him and stuffed her notebook into her open bag. When he was alone in the living room he looked into the history. It was wiped clean. From the point the had left was completely blank. Either she hadn't used it or she had erased the history.


	3. Chapter 3

Morgan had taken the day off and sat in his apartment eating sandwiches with Cassi. "I have given you a long time you parents got back a week ago. Are you going to come clean with me?"

She glanced up quickly then back down again. Her eyes took on an odd look.

"if I'm a bother I'll leave."

"if that's your choice I'll fly you home tomorrow myself."

Her eyes looked angry.

"I'm not a child, I don't need a babysitter anymore."

"your acting like one. You lying and avoiding questions. I'm fairly sick of it."

"I am not." she nearly screamed.

"yes. You wiped the memory so there is something on the computer you didn't want me to see. Your parents are worried sick but giving you some freedom because I promised to look after you. I never know where you are and your out at odd hours. And you boyfriends name wasn't John it was Mike. Your dad says you have been broken up for about five months."

She stood and walked angrily away.

"fine I'm packing right now."

"fine." he at her departing back. He winced as he heard the bedroom door slam. His anger peaked and he started throwing dishes into the sink. He stopped after he cracked a glass. He took his time cleaning the glass and hand washing all the dishes. After drying and putting each one away he was calm enough to go talk to her.

In her haste and anger the door hadn't shut when she had slammed it but had opened again. She hadn't heard him. He saw her sitting on the floor in front of her duffle bag with clothes piled on top. She had her notebook in her hands. He made a noise and she half turned to him.

Silently she held out the notebook for him to grab.

When he did he noticed her eyes were red rimmed.

"the front is my personal notes. The back are his." as he read he sat on the bed. Hard. He moved to the front and started reading through her jumbled notes and her descriptions. After about half the book moving from the front it stopped with the personal pages and moved into the her nightmare. She watched him silently the whole time. After a long time he looked up.

He didn't say a word as her eyes met his.

a/n well. luckily this story is all written and i'm trying to put one up once a day. but i have some editing to do on each one. in case you are wondering her mother is Lila from the ep someones watching. i know this is all old knews but i just bought and watched the first season and though i am jealous i think Reid and Lila are a good match. i am going to try to write the story about them geting together, as well as a follow up to this one


	4. Chapter 4

They sat unmoving for hours staring at each other. He broke the stillness first when he moved to take her in his arms. She stiffened as his arms went around her.

"sorry." she muttered her voice still brimming with anger.

"I know." he didn't know what else to say. She pulled away and there were no tears in her eyes.

"if you send me on a plane I will go somewhere else. And if you tell anyone I'll disappear." she said as she stuffed things angrily into her bag.

He wanted to hit something.

"Cassi. What do you want me to do. Tell me and I'll do it."

She rubbed tiredly at her eyes. "help." her voice pleaded.

He read through the notes her mysterious friend had been sending. They started with just telling her that he knew her and that he was aware of the most private parts of her life. It moved on the snapshot's of her. Then the reasons. He had a connection to her father. Someone he had put away wanted revenge. Then he moved to the threats. If she told anyone her parents would pay the price.

She had hacked into the BAU's files and combed through them. She had all the ones associated with her dad saved on a jump drive. The problem was there was way to many. She had began to profile a few using the things her dad had taught her and the book she had read. Using the letters to do a rough comparison for hand writing and speaking style. No luck for the few she had got done.

He set in and they worked on some more together. They got through about half the list before Morgan moved and stretched.

"I'll order some Chinese."

"alright." she stretched as well and pushed the laptop away from herself.

"what do you want me to tell your parents?"

"tell them that you are watching over me and trying to convince me the BAU is the right way. My dad has been bugging me to look into it. Tell him you almost have me convinced."

"alright."

"and thanks." her eyes stayed downcast. Not looking at him.

"so when did you get close enough to see him? For that sketch you have?"

"I didn't I might have hacked into the security footage for the mall on a day I new he had been following me there."

"has he found you here?"

"he knows I'm in the city but he hasn't got the exact location. at least I don't think he has. I haven't gotten a note yet."

"but you know he is in the city?"

"ya. He has the city setup in some kind of grid to find me. I have spotted him a few times."

"but he didn't see you?""not that I am aware of. And I Haven't seen any bugs in your apartment. He had them all around my room. I didn't move them or anything to let him know I was on his trail but I was careful about anything personal that happened in my house."

"how long has this been going on?"

"the first note was dated three weeks ago. About a week before I came here."

"alright tell me what you know about this guy personally."

"well. He is older. He has to be at least 34 or so going from the fact that my dad stopped work at the BAU almost fifteen years ago and that he must have been at least 18 when dad put him away. I'm planning on looking up the ones we find likely and seeing which ones are still alive and which ones are in jail again. Doing that should narrow down the list I just haven't managed to get in to the records yet."

"Aren't we the little Mrs. Junior hacker. You do know your talking to a federal agent right?"

"well Mr federal agent you have no room to speak since you aren't reporting this whole thing."

"oh right. Well.."

"


	5. Chapter 5

Jordan woke up to a slight ruffling of clothe. A wide eyed Cassi followed his movements.

"I need a promise from you." she waited until he had nodded to continue. "I need you to promise to take care of them. To get them away from home and guarded. If you promise I'll let you tell anyone you want. But only after they are safe."

He sprang up.

"what brought this up?" he demanded. She held up a envelope. He took it and carefully opened it. Inside were to small locks of hair and a picture of her sleeping parents. I hand written note was also included.

_Naughty naughty running away like that. I missed you. And staying at _his _house. Especially while your parents are in such danger. It makes me think you don't care._

**"**your house phone was tapped. I looked when I got this. And I wouldn't use your cell if I were you. Wait till morning and go to work as usual. Make your team get them to safety. Then we'll talk."

"fine. But after that we play it my way."

"after they are safe." her voice trembled on the last word but she sucked in a deep breathe and steadied. "but one way or another he will get what's coming to him." her eyes burned. He somehow had no doubt.


	6. Chapter 6

Jordan walked into the bustling BAU and headed straight for his bosses office.

"I need a little faith." he stated. It immediately got his attention.

"yes?"

"if you do what I say no questions asked then I will explain. But I can't say anything until after that."

"tell me."

"last night I received a threat to the lives of Spencer and Lila Reid. In the envelope I got a picture of them sleeping in their house with a lock of each of their hair. I will give you the note after they are safe but I can hand over the other items now."

Half the team was on the jet and to the house quickly. They got the couple away while Morgan waited anxiously in the office.

"now tell me what's up." his boss ordered. He looked over the remaining team members and finally spoke.

"about two weeks ago Cassi Reid flew in. yesterday she finally came clean as to her real intentions. She has been for the last three weeks receiving letters from a man. He threatened both her and her parents lives, ordering her to keep this secret. She has them all in a note book along with some sketches and photos of the man. He will be in the data base as someone that Dr. Reid and the team put away."


	7. Chapter 7

Reid rolled over and turned the bedside lamp on.

"what's up honey?" Lila asked her voice drowsy.

"I heard someone at the door give me a sec I'll go check it out." he tried in vain to tame his hair as he walked.

"hello." he asked not seeing out into the dark.

"Dr Spencer Reid?"

"yes."

"I am with the behavior analysis unit of te FBI my name is Harry Cortez. We are here to take you to a safe house."

"excuse me?"

"we'll tell you the details in the car. Right now all you need to know is we are here to get you to safety and you can't say anything. The house is bugged.

The FBI agent walled inside the rest of his team fanning out around the house guns drawn. The one in the house put a finger to his lips and motioned Reid forward. Lila nearly screamed when the gun toting man entered her room but Spencer put his finger to his lip and smiled letting her know it was alright.

With his hands he showed her to pack and they silently got a couple necessary things together.

"it was nobody honey. Go back to bed." Spencer said rustling the sheets.

"alright." Lila worked t make her voice sound drowsy.

As the agents drove them Reid decided he was glad his daughter had gone to stay with Morgan….the FBI agent…..the profiler….she hadn't wanted to be alone in a house….one she knew was bugged.

"that girl is in so much trouble." Reid stated as her reasons dawned on him.

"what's that dear?"

"Cassi has known for a while hasn't she?"

"form my understanding about three weeks sir."

"that girl has a lot of questions to answer."

"honey let's be worried about getting through this safely for now. You can ground her later once all of us are safe. Together." Lila said in soothing tones.

"is she coming to us?"

"no she is staying with the other agents."

"can I get the details I'll help as much as I can from the safe house."

"it would be an honor Dr to work with you."


	8. Chapter 8

Morgan briefed his team and handed over Cassi's notebook and profiles. The officer in casual clothes had been sent over to stay with Cassi using the pretext as a visit from a friend. Alex and Scott the two members who had, along with the boss, not gone to get Reid and Lila to safety.

"why keep this for this long."

"she was doing what she could to keep her family safe. She is still such a young girl. She was clueless and lost. Albeit she has a higher IQ then all of us but she is still a child."

"why come forward now."

"the letter she received this morning shook her. She told me that until her parents were safe we played this her way. After that we could run free."

"Morgan. How long have you known?"

Damn he was caught. "I told you as soon as it was safe. By the time I learned my phones were bugged and I couldn't tell you over it. I also couldn't make any sudden moved that seemed like I was in on it, not until her parents were reported to be safe."

"let's say you found out this morning when the note arrived."

"yes sir."

"how many bugs?"

"the phone has been tapped, this man is definitely smart and technically wise. I found one in each room but they have kill switches. I mess with it, it dies but sends out a signal. Alerting him and he gets mad."

"so he must have either been already good at computers which might help with the profile but is not necessary for it. He might also have learned with his free time in jail. This guy is smart."

"go home. Live out your day as you would. The old friend will come back to the office after you return home. And Reid is trying to help out any way he can from the safe house. He is a little furious with Cassi for not trusting him a long time ago. If the house weren't bugged he would call and chew her out now. As is I was ordered to pass along the message."

"I'll tell her."

Morgan decided if Cassi was going to stay with him in the house she would need something eat and he had only stocked his cupboards for one person. Slightly in a hurry he went to pick some things up from the store.


	9. Chapter 9

Anger blossomed through him. She had left the game and screwed everything up. He must go and take care of everything himself. And he knew just where to find her.


	10. Chapter 10

"Jordan." the whisper came through the phone. "there is someone in the house."

He snapped to attention. He dropped the groceries he had been carrying and sprinted to his car. "I'll be there quickly just hide and stay quiet." as he rounded the corner he flipped off the sirens to keep from alerting the man. He was on the phone shouting to the team by the time he was at his porch. He Didn't bother waiting for the elevator but sprinted up the stairs closing his phone and drawing his gun before he reached the door. It hung on one hinge open. The protecting officer lay sprawled on the floor. He looked alright and was breathing. He was bleeding from the head where he must have been hit pretty hard. Jordan slowly stalked forward. He heard a small scream as pain blossomed behind one ear. His vision darkened for a moment and he found himself on his knees. He heard someone moving around walking in front of him.

"see. Look what you did. In calling your boyfriend you just got him killed." he looked up to see Cassi kneeling about three feet in front of him. A hooded man stood behind her his gun pressing into her head.

"drop the gun Mr. Morgan or she gets to the bullet." he shoved his gun away sliding it away form himself and Cassi.

"and the one in the ankle holster." the man said pressing the gun tighter into Cassi's head. He watched her wince then carefully removed the gun sliding it towards the first.

"let her go man. She did nothing wrong."

"I can't. but you are right she did nothing, except to be her fathers daughter."

"let her go."

"then her father would never learn his lesson and we can't have that now can we." he shouted tightening his grip on the gun.

He heard the cars of his team pull up in front of his apartment.

"oh. Can you people get any dumber. If she hadn't call you wouldn't have had to die. And them showing up just makes her die that much faster. But I'll kill you first so she gets to watch." He raised the gun and fired.

Morgan froze. Pain, though not the pain he expected blossomed through his chest.


	11. Chapter 11

Coming out of paralysis he rolled to one side and grabbed his gun. He fired with aiming and heard a satisfying impact. He had hit the man in his thigh. He rushed forward and hit him once hard on the head. He watched the mans eyes roll back and he thuncked down to the floor. He turned to see Scott kneeling by Cassi calling for an ambulance. As soon as his request was in he dropped the phone and pressed his jacket he had pulled off against the blood flow.

"she told me that one way or another she would make him pay. I saw it to late that I was closer to the guns. She took it so I could get to mine. I wasn't quick enough." Morgan heard his dead voice say.

"snap out of this and get me something clean and dry to put over this. We have to slow the bleeding until the paramedics get here. She'll be fine. It's not that bad. Aimed at you heart she got it in her stomach. To one side barely any damage done but it will be safer if we try to stop the bleeding. C'mon focus."

He rushed into the kitchen and brought out a couple handfuls of dish towels. He kneeled on her other side.

"hey Jordan." she said in a quiet voice.

"ya honey."

"Sorry but you were closer to the gun. I would never have gotten there in time and we would have both been dead."

"I would rather me be lying there than you."

'The bullet would have gone to your heart. It only got my stomach. This way you aren't dead." her voice was fading and her face screwed up in pain.

"Hey Jordan?"

"yes honey?"

"did you know bullets hurt like hell?"

A strangled laugh forced its way out.

"I'd heard something of the sort." he put his hand in hers.

"shush." he said when she moved her lips to talk.

Her eyes drifted closed.

"hey Cassi?" he asked then waited for her to focus on him again.

"didn't your dad ever teach you the time honored tactic known as ducking?"

She took in a few deep breathes.

"you know I think he mentioned something of the sort."

Scott's relieved chuckle echoed through the room. The rest of the team rushed in. his boss stayed outside helping the cop that had been laying in the hallway come around. Alex was cuffing the other man and tying something around his leg. To Morgan's relief the paramedics arrived. Scott moved out of the way but when Morgan tried to move Cassi clung. He tried to stay out of the way as much as possible. They put her on a stretcher and he walked beside it as they moved her down the hall. It wouldn't fit in the elevator so Scott and Morgan helped carry it down the stairs. Thankfully the pain killers had worked into her system so the joggling didn't hurt as much. He rode with her to the hospital but was forcibly left behind in the waiting room.

Scott and Alex eventually joined him.

"any news?"

"her parents just called and interrogated me. They are flying out now on the Bureaus jet. With the rest of the team. The doctors forced me to stay here and told me they would tell me if anything changed." they waited.

"Family of Cassi Reid." a doctor called out.

Morgan stood.

"I'm filling in until her parents arrive."

"she is resting well. It didn't hit anything major and the damage was minimal. She should make a full recovery and be back on her feet in a short time."

Relief flooded through his body and his knees folded out from under him. He landed hard on the chair.

"are you all right?" the doctor questioned.

"fine just relieved."

"well. You won't be able to see her until morning at least since there is no blood relation. I am going to ask you to get something hot to eat and some sleep so she doesn't have to worry about you instead of getting better." the doctor said in strict tones.

"come on. I'll take you by your place to get some clean clothes. You can stay at my place." he and Alex led Morgan out the door and to the car. As soon as Morgan walked in he turned and hit the wall.

"well that left a mark." Scott said as he ducked under the crime scene tape and followed him.

He whistled at the hole and skirted around the blood. Morgan grabbed his to go bag and put some casual clothes on top of the rest of things.

"she'll be fine you can see her in the morning."


	12. Chapter 12

Morgan got a ride to the hospital early in the morning. He met Reid in the waiting room.

"how is she?" he asked.

"we just came out. She is awake and joking about awful food." Lila smiled brightly with a hint of sadness and exhaustion hidden in the smile.

"you don't look like you got nearly enough sleep." Spencer said taking in Morgan's appearance.

"I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about her and the mistakes I made. And I saw her falling. I never could do anything about it."

"she is still alive. If you never made any mistakes you would never learn. And you played everything out in the best way you knew how to keep everyone alive. She told us you took the man down."

"did she also tell you the bullet she took was meant for me."

"yes. That was her plan. She was also trying to keep everyone alive. It could have been better but it worked and she will recover. And this is not your fault." Morgan didn't quite believe what the older man was telling him. "after this she is getting some instruction in the art of ducking."

"did you call you parents?" Lila questioned.

"yes. Scott is going to pick them up at the airport and drop them off at my house to pick up my car. Then they'll be over. Are you staying at a hotel?"

"yes. It's about five minutes away."

"can you try to get them a room there?"

"no problem. We'll see you in a bit." Morgan waited until he was finally allowed to go in. before he made it to her room though the doctor he had spoken to last night signaled him to come over.

"what did I tell you last night? If you come back tomorrow looking the same I won't let you in to see her. She needs to worry about herself not you. Got it?" he half smiled.

"yes ma'am." he said and saluted. "the moral of the story is come back when your not on shift."

She grinned with him for a moment before he turned and headed into the room.

"that was the single most brainless thing I have ever seen a genius do." he said his voice stern.

"it worked."

"any plan that involved you ending up in here was flawed and broken to begin with."

"you are alive as well."

"and I can take more than you."

'says who?"

"me. I'm older and wiser."

" 'scuse me. Who is the genius?"

"not the one in the hospital bed because of some hair brained plan."

"I am." she said ignoring his comment.

"then why didn't you come up with a better plan?"

"because you slid the guns away from me."

"because the man with a gun to your head told me to."

"speaking of which you should get your head looked at."

"it's fine. One of the doctors last night forced me to hold still while he put a stitch or two in it. Back on the topic."

"yes like how you walked right into the ambush. And you called my plan brainless."

"yours truly was. You got shot." his voice rose through the sentence then broke on the last word. He turned away from her and took a few deep breathes.

"encore encore." Scott said from the doorway leading Derek and Garcia into the room. "the nurses said to keep it down and let her rest."

Garcia headed over to her son and took him in her arms while Derek went to say hi to Cassi.

"they wanted to come here right off. I'll drop them off at your place now."

Morgan released his mom and went back to Cassi's side.

"thanks for stopping by." she said as they walked out.

"no problem." He smiled again at the young girl. Then turned a stern glare on his son. "no more yelling matches."

Morgan nodded.

"I'm sorry. All I could think of was the bullet aimed at you head." Cassi whispered. "I didn't think after that. I just acted. I knew you would take out the bad guy for me. Thanks for that. He needed to be stopped."

"no problem."

"hey Morgan. Nothing was your fault. I should have come clean with everyone sooner."

He left the hospital room when the pain killers knocked her out feeling much better. He still held a little guilt but Cassi had beaten most of it out of him.

He called a cab and headed to the hotel everyone was at to get a room for himself since his house was off limits, not that he could stay there anymore. He was going to go apartment shopping as soon as things settled down.

a/n srry it's been so long to get the end up. i have been working way to much. my boss is giving me nine and ten hour shifts. well here is the end. thanks for reading.


	13. Chapter 13

Spencer carefully helped his daughter out of the car and into the restaurant. She sat next to Jordan and flipped through the menu.

"so what's good."

"the doc says not to push your stomach for a while. So something light. The soup is pretty good."

"I have been starving from hospital food for weeks. I get to choose.

"just saying."

She ordered some fancy dish and Morgan looked up.

"the soup with breadsticks will be fine thank you."

When the steaming food arrived Cassi looked slightly green.

"he girl maybe you should stick with lighter things. Want to trade?"

Reid watched with an amused smile at the standoff.

"fine." she relented and handed the dish over while Morgan slid the soup.

"so Cassi. Any plans on joining the BAU." Garcia asked.

"with my father being who he is I don't think I have another option. Besides this was fun."

Morgan choked on his food while his dad pounded on his back. He got up and stalked towards the bathroom.

"maybe I should have chosen another word." Cassi looked slightly crestfallen.

Reid looked around. "you know I might have to agree with that one." Lila took her daughters hand tightly.

"it's alright dear. He feels guilty. He'll get over it just give him time."

"I'll go check on my baby." Garcia said dropping Derek's hand that she had been holding under the table the whole time. Cassi cheered up as she watched some of the amazed looks she received. After all Garcia had her own style and it drew attention.

"come back in." Garcia said putting an arm around her son.

He looked at her.

"I need a minute to breathe I'll be in, in a moment."

Morgan drew a deep breathe and sighed.

Reid sat on the bed in his daughter's hotel room.

Without a sound she sat right up next to him. He put his arm around her and she leaned in.

"hey daddy. I'm sorry."

"next time just remember that no matter what you can count on me."

"I was keeping you safe."

"Honey. It's the dad's job to protect the girl. Especially if your dad is a strapping FBI agent."

She smiled and laid her head on her dad's shoulder.

"think he will ever forgive me?"

"honey it's not you he has to forgive. Give him some time he will be fine. Just next time duck. No one will think less."

"k dad. Love you."

Lila smiled at the doorway.


End file.
